Missed out on the initial 2004~06 Univive ‘series’ and wanted to avoid doubling up on material of (in some cases inferior fidelity) but obtain a relatively complete selection?

One could perhaps ignore the first 10 or so titles because of the replacement and remastering, and streamlining, etc of earlier CD-R items but also re-releasing in silver press (in Xmas’08 & Feb.’09)?

eg. UNIVIVE-002 「LAID DOWN 76」4CDR (2005,2007) if you already have 「77 LIVE」 (Over Level,2CD)for instance the bonus 4th disc was just other sources (78mins(low) or 65mins(high)) the remainder is pretty much reissued on other titles. UNIVIVE-010 「NAKED DIZA STAR」 maybe just the first track of the first disc is currently exclusive…

Even the compilations UNIVIVE-002,010,015, 016, 008(Xmas’08) repeat tracks amongst themselves. UNIVIVE-015, 008(Xmas’08) repeat a track on the first disc and the last disc of each!!

UNIVIVE-008 「GREAT WHITE WONDER」4CD Disc 1A remaster of disc 3 of the 2006 4CD-R version with remainder of extant material (3 songs).1st track fades-in after tape garble at start of old version. New track divisions but slightly faster speed for improvement of fidelity. But!! a frequency has emerged on this new version rendering some discomfort for listening…The last track on this disc is also track 2 on disc 4 of this actual set because it reissues the C-90 tape compilation on discs 2 & 3 of UNIVIVE-002.Disc 2Same audio problem with the first track (only) on this disc – the last of this concert date.Thence, 4 edits from ‘77 Sunset Glow’ concert… qv. UNIVIVE-010 & 016. "Night Collectors" & "Last One" are most complete on this release. The tracklist is also incorrect: “Assassin’s Night” recording is not featured in the audio, 5min excerpt on 016 only. Disc 3 & 4Reissue of UNIVIVE-002 [4CD-R] discs 2 & 3. Track 2 also Track 8 of disc 1 of this set.

The first disc of the original (2006 4CD-R version)is now “Franging Massager” of UNIVIVE-019.The second & fourth (bonus) disc of the original (2006 4CD-R version) are currently unavailable.

The opener “Ice Fire” sets the tone with a vibe wch steamrolls like a megaton-pimped ride on an earthmover-monolith-cum-galactic-jalopy tumbling through dense cosmic fog untila zonked-out zombie-stomp of “The Last One”stumbles forth in somniferous, funebrial quagmire gloom… muck from heaven.

It is 1983, the sound is something like UNIVIVE-013 “Marvelous Live”murk as opposed to CDAR-60&61 “Eve Night”… not unlike say, “Black Rainbow”either, the final Fujio Yamaguchi collaboration.Mizutani intones with more sombreness than we’ve noticed before and the bass part (we recommend applying as much as possible for playback!) is notable in wandering, pseudo-inept splendour!

The mood set, it kind-of plateaus for the remainder, deteriorating with a half hearted rehash of “Assassin’s Night”.

Rather than issue a ‘disc 4’you get an (incomplete) performance, sans an improvised coda- wch’d ‘ve been interesting at least… fades out on the third-last piece ( the encore consisted five).The excised finale was released on Encyclopedia Of Rallizes 2x10CDR, only .

A not altogether imperceptible glitch / jump in the audio occurs occassionaly towards the end of CD 1 & 2. This isn’t the 45min tape change, which is to be expected, but it seems another case of inadequate transferring to CD format. Such has beset a number of other Univive releases (certainly, not borne from the original source).

Okay , it’s incomplete, there’s some audio problems, however, it thumps along agreeably, has some thematic interest…. well, at least the throng present expressed their likewise approval!

UNIVIVE-019 「CRITICAL TRIP」2CD Further to natsukas comment on the obscurant exercise in the design of this item it was originally slated as a boxset of Rock May Kan Super Live Space performances including 6th June ’88. As for Disc 1, the self-titled 1987 concert wch is retained is a laid back affair apart from the two tracks wch take it up a few gears – were also on UNIVIVE-010.Disc 2, ‘Franging Massager’ (‘Flanging Messenger’ (?)) is at least a louder but otherwise identical to Disc 1 of the 2006 4CD-R of “Great White Wonder” (UNIVIVE-008).

UNIVIVE-020 「TROPICAL MIND BLASTER」4CD Two Tokyo concerts from 1981 with saxophone collaboration at Hosei Uni. on 6th Nov and at Shibuya, Yaneura on 19th Dec. Some excerpts previously on “1981-88”10CD-R box of the former of which at least“Field of Artificial Flower” made for an entertaining Fujii Akira vs. Takashi Mizutani ‘face-off’ ! Of the latter, 30 mins (2 tracks) previously on UNIVIVE-010 「NAKED DIZASTAR」disc 3.

Any idea where one can get the new "Cradle Saloon '78" release? Just saw the complete set of new Univive on PSFmm for something like €200 - way beyond things I can afford. It is no longer available as a 4-CDR box.

A little footnote to that Cradle Saloon reissue... Rallizes' special guest at this show (Nov 1, 1978) was an early line-up of J-punk heroes Friction. The Friction set from this gig has just been released, in the requisite dodgy fidelity. It's an interesting set for anyone interested in this period of Japanese rock, particularly since it contains a couple of never-otherwise-recorded original songs and a Stooges cover...

Unfortunately for the moment it's only available as part of a lavish and expensive set that comes with two (!) separate books of photographs.

That's my practical real-life policy. The easily available and relatively cheap CDs are all I actually own (and I've not even picked up Live 1972 yet, worried as I am about the sheer dodginess of the fidelity), but I still wish I could have the whole mess clearer in my head.

Isn't the murk and the noise and all that stuff part of the whole maborosh mystery of the band? Is there any other Japanese group as shambolic or so obviously under rehearsed and in need of practicing? I'll add that the "End of Heavy Groove" 2CD has decent sound too. Keep talking about the all-improv second part of the "Cradle Saloon" show—I need to hear this. I think "Intermission" is one of their greater jams.

I'm wondering what the provenance of these might be and whether it's worth £12...

Do you think that headheritage have produced these themselves, and if so, what's the source?

Any idea what the story is with this release, as it seems to be one of the relatively established boots? Is it any good? I know Cope believes so (it's one of his top picks in the Japrocksampler), but what does anyone else think?

Isn't he the sole dealer of that and Heavier Than a Death in the Family? Both are on his top 50 in the book with the December's Black Children 2CD. I'd take Cradle Saloon over those but I guess the Sethman hasn't burned him a copy yet.

Some of those secondhand titles on the Tiliqua list have already gone but are still listed - I saw "The Time Is Nigh" on there just last week but discovered on emailing that unfortunately it's already sold.

I thought Tripical Mid Booster was going to be Tropical Mind Booster which was that show they did in Hawaii while they were on their way to play on German television. It was around the time that someone in the band owned Syd Barrett's mirror Esquire but they had to sell it for some reason...

Greetings. Been checking out this board off and on for a while, thought I'd finally stick my oar in. I did have a pretty heavy Univive habit for a while, but there's been a considerable drop-off in quality of late, 'IMO'...Neu Product Era, Wild Trip In The West, Critical Trip were all pretty ropey, maybe the Rallizes barrel is starting to be scraped.

These two (Tripical Midbooster and One More Night Tripper) however, are both pretty fucking great. One More...was a given, being my favourite Rallizes recording of all time, but Tripical... is also, on an initial go round, great, a worthy addition to the canon.

But this is starting to get like being a deadhead, only with about ten songs to go around five hundred releases. How much do I really need? What else can they bring out that'll sucker me into paying up?

On a related note, listening to Volcanic Performance recently, I realized the tracklist to Disc 4 is wildly different to the one given on the sleeve. Anyone have a correct version? I'm not so familiar with some of the material...